The Danger of Nostalgia Weighing Upon the Present

In The Danger of Nostalgia Weighing Upon the Present, Simon Tay warns that “[i]t is good to know our history, but we must be wary of invoking the past to make decisions about the present”. In this post, I state three lessons that I have learnt from the article.

Not All Things of the Past Are Good

First, not all things of the past are good. Instead, some things of the past are bad. For example, “[s]amsui women who contributed to literally building Singapore smoked, as a respite from hard labour”. Therefore, it is recommended “to identify and limit mere nostalgia and avoid cherry-picking the past”.

Not All Things Good in the Past are Good in the Present

Second, not all things that are good in the past are also good in the present. Instead, some things that are good in the past are not good in the present. For example, although “a social enterprise by the unions was needed” in the past, “[t]oday presents a very different situation”. Therefore, it is recommended that “[t]hose who evoke the past in current arguments would do well to acknowledge context and changes in current circumstances”.

Not All Things Good in the Past for Some are Good for All

Last, not all things that are good in the past for some individuals are also good for all individuals. Instead, some things that are good in the past for some individuals are not good for other individuals. For example, although “[t]here are those who recall the British era positively for establishing Singapore as a key colony”, “[o]thers criticise such works as glorifying the colonial period”. Therefore, Tay recommends that “[w]e also need to distinguish more clearly between different frameworks and contested interpretations”.